


Mistaken Identity

by WordsInTimeAndSpace



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Texting the wrong number
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-24
Updated: 2017-01-15
Packaged: 2018-05-28 21:23:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6345856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordsInTimeAndSpace/pseuds/WordsInTimeAndSpace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When her best friend Jack leaves for a holiday just when Rose goes through a bad breakup, he at least gives her his new phone number in case she needs to vent. For one week, Rose pours out her heart in a range of text messages - only to discover she'd been texting a stranger all along.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a promt reblogged by timepetalspromts.

“My phone reception will be a little wonky,” Jack said as he rummaged through a drawer in the kitchen. “But you can text me whenever you want. I just don't know when I can reply. Okay?”

Rose crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back against the counter. She brushed her hair out of her face and let out a huff.

“What is the point of texting when you can't text back?” she asked, sounding a little more pathetic than she liked.

“Might be good to let it all out,” Jack said. He finally found what he was looking for - a black sharpie - and stepped in front of her. “All right, give me your hand.”

“What?”

“I have a new phone; I need to give you the number.” 

Jack reached for her hand and, holding her arm still, began scribbling his number onto her palm in big black letters.

“What happened to your old phone?” Rose asked as she watched him write the numbers onto her skin.

“Believe me, you don't wanna know,” Jack said with the hint of a smile. He finished writing but didn't pull back yet. Instead, he tossed the pen aside and trailed his hands up her arms in a comforting gesture. Taking a deep breath, he leaned down slightly to look her in the eyes. “You're gonna be all right?”

Rose nodded, but she couldn't stop the tears gathering in her eyes. She didn't trust her voice right in that moment, so she said nothing.

Jack winced. “I'm sorry. This is really a bad time.”

“No, it's fine,” Rose said quickly. She leaned into his touch as Jack cupped her face in his hands, brushing away a tear that rolled down her cheek. A sigh escaped her lips. “I'll be fine. You go and have fun with Ianto on an abandoned beach in Brazil. Just sent me a photo of him in swimming trunks.”

Jack cracked a smile. “Sweetheart, I can send you a photo of him in a lot less if it cheers you up.”

Rose rolled her eyes, but she couldn't suppress a smile. Jack grinned at her in response before he pulled her into a tight hug. Wrapping her arms around his waist, Rose relished the comfort he offered her. She sniffled quietly against his chest.

“You're worth so much more than that wanker Jimmy Stone,” Jack said softly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

Rose sighed. She did know that. If she was honest, she had known for a while that Jimmy could be a bastard and that their relationship wouldn't last forever. But that didn't make it hurt any less that he had decided to fool around with another girl on their bloody anniversary.

~~~

Rose wouldn't text Jack. That's what she told herself as she watched Jack and Ianto get into a cab to the airport, waving after them and trying not to let the loneliness creep into her bones. Jack deserved a quiet holiday with his boyfriend without her constantly whining about her broken heart. She just needed to pull herself together.

Her resolution crumbled for the first time when Rose got into a shower of rain on the way home that made her want to cry all over again. When she finally got back to her flat she was soaked to the bone. Shivering, Rose peeled herself out of her clothes to take a bath. The number on her palm was a little blurred, but she could still make it out. Rose quickly typed it into her phone before she emerged into the bathtub, hoping the huge piles of foam could wash away her hurt feelings. As expected, it didn't really work.

Rose stayed in the tub far longer than she usually did. But when the water turned cold and she still didn't feel any better she finally gave up, wrapped herself in a fluffy towel and grabbed her phone. Slumping down on the couch, Rose typed a quick message to Jack.

 

_Hey! You're probably on the plane right now so I have no idea when you'll read this. Just wanted to thank you for today. And thanks for the opportunity to vent – I might have to take that offer after all. God, I still can't believe that he would do that to me. Wanker. Anyway, have a good flight! xx Rose_

 

Her finger hovered over the “send” button for a few seconds. Rose chewed on her lip, unsure if she should bother Jack when he probably had lots of other things on his mind. But then she hit send, letting out a long breath. He had offered that she could text him after all. And she had to admit that it did make her feel a little lighter.

~~~

A restless night of sleep and a hard day at work later, Rose found herself in the pub together with her friend Shareen. She had spend most of the day trying very hard not to cry whenever she saw a happy couple strolling through Henrik's, so the loud pub and a couple of drinks were a diversion she more than welcomed. 

Shareen was sitting on the bench next to her and wasted no time reciting all the little things she'd never liked about Jimmy Stone. It made Rose feel a little stupid for falling for him in the first place, but Shareen's creativity when it came to insults did make her feel better. Nevertheless, she was glad to have a minute of silence when Shareen went to the loo. 

Rose pulled out her mobile, checking for any new texts. Jack hadn't replied, but Rose couldn't blame him. He was probably far too busy with relaxing in the sun and snogging Ianto. Rose could only hope they wouldn't be arrested for public indecency. Nevertheless, Rose wrote a short message, her fingers flying over the screen as she typed all the words she was struggling to say out loud.

 

_Honestly, I don't know why I'm so upset about all this. I wasn't in love with Jimmy, but I didn't want to end it because it was kind of nice and comfortable. At least for a while. Or maybe I'm just romanticising it now. I think I need more tequila._

 

When the message was sent, Rose lowered her phone and let out a sigh. She meant what she'd wrote to Jack. She didn't love Jimmy, but that didn't stop her from feeling angry and betrayed. Without a second thought, Rose grabbed her glass and downed her drink. She grimaced as the alcohol burned down her throat. But it was slowly making her dizzy and numb, and that was exactly what she wanted in that moment.

~~~

In the next few days, Rose learned that sending messages to Jack did make everything easier, even if he never replied. She could pour her heart out just like she wanted to. There was no one giving her a pitying look; no one rolling their eyes when they thought she wasn't looking. And it felt good to vent, just letting the thoughts out of her mind that felt so heavy when they were unspoken. Jack was her best mate, so she didn't mind that he would read all of this at some point. She just continued to text whenever she needed to get something off her chest.

There was one message after a particularly hard day that ended with her eating two orders of chips all by herself:

 

_I saw Jimmy today!! Ran into him on Trafalgar Square on my lunch break. He was with HIS NEW GIRLFRIEND!! And they were snogging. Blergh. It's like he wants to rub it into my face. She isn't even that pretty. Okay, she is kind of cute, but I definitely have a nicer bum. He doesn't know what he's missing._

 

Another message after she had visited her mum who had given her a lengthy speech that she could do so much better anyway:

 

_You know, I can do better than this. You're absolutely right. When I was with Jimmy my life was mostly beans on toast and watching telly. He never wanted to go out or anything. I wasted so much time with him. But there's so much more in life. All these amazing things to see on this planet. So many countries to visit and cities to explore and people to meet!_

 

The next one on a late Friday evening, after a sunny day that left Rose feeling hopeful and content for the first time in a week:

 

_I haven't cried all day! Wohoo!_

 

Only to be followed by another message barely an hour later:

 

_Nevermind. I'm crying._

 

Rose typed out the last text with shaking fingers before throwing her phone to the other end of the couch. She blew her nose on a handkerchief, sniffling as she tried to hold back tears. Really, it was stupid. One minute she was perfectly fine, and in the next Jimmy sent her a text to ask if he had left one of his CDs in her flat. The utter ignorance of her feelings was what send her back into a crying fit. Rose knew that Jimmy didn't deserve a single tear, and that thought only made her cry harder. It weren't tears of grief, but tears of rage and anger, towards Jimmy and herself and the fact that it was in the middle of the night and she had no one to call. Instead, Rose reached for her phone another time to write a third message to Jack.

 

_It's a pity that you're currently drinking cocktails on a beach with a good looking guy. Because I could really need someone to bring me ice cream and have a Disney marathon with me. Miss you. xx Rose_

 

She slumped back into the cushions, running a hand over her face as she slowly calmed down. The tears had stopped, leaving only a headache behind her temples and an empty feeling inside her chest.

Just when she was about to drag herself to bed, her phone suddenly started to ring. Startled, Rose looked up and saw Jack's name on the display. She grimaced. Maybe she'd sounded a little more desperate than she'd thought. But if she was honest, she was glad that she could talk to a friend right now.

“Hi Jack,” Rose said as she answered the phone, her voice a little hoarse from crying.

“Err... hi,” said a voice that was definitely not Jack. Rose's blood ran cold. “Sorry, but you seem to have the wrong number. My name is John.”

Rose's breath caught in her throat as the full weight of his words settled in. All week she'd written these personal messages, in the belief that Jack would be the only person on this planet to read them. But instead she'd texted a stranger. She ran a hand over her face, dread settling in the depth of her stomach.

“Hello? Are you still there?” John asked when she remained silent for a few more seconds.

“Yeah,” Rose said quickly. “It's just... shit. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.”

“Oh, it's fine. Really! Sorry I didn't say anything earlier. I was busy all week with grading papers so I always forgot to text back.”

“It won't happen again, I promise,” Rose said. “God, this is so embarrassing. I'll delete your number right away.”

“What? Oh! No, that's not why I called,” John said. “I don't mind, really. I just wanted to check if you're okay. And, err...” 

“What?”

“Um, you live in London, right? If you give me your address I can bring you some of the requested ice cream. I mean, if it helps you feel better.”

Rose blinked, confused. She wasn't sure if she'd heard him right or if her brain was just slow to catch up.

“I'm not a creep, I promise!” John continued to ramble. “I just want to help. I am a bit worried, if I'm honest. You don't even have to open the door for me, I can just leave the stuff on your doorstep.”

For a second Rose was too stunned to reply. She just sat on the couch, her head spinning as she tried to process what he'd just said.

“Or not,” John said, sounding defeated. “Sorry. Was that rude? I mean, you don't know me, but-”

“Okay,” Rose said, cutting him off.

“What?”

“I said okay. Come over.” 

Without a second thought, Rose gave him her address and John promised to be there in ten minutes. Rose spend these moments restlessly pacing her living room, chewing on her nails as she replayed their conversation over and over in her mind. It still felt a little unreal.

She jumped when the doorbell rang. With her heart racing in her chest, Rose froze for a second and stared at the door in disbelief. He was really there. As quietly as she could, she sneaked into the hallway and glanced through the peephole. 

Wild brown hair, that was the first thing she saw. Really great hair. John ran a hand through it, looking a little nervous, and it made the strands stand up in all possible directions. His freckled cheeks were flushed and his eyes wandered up and down the closed door in front of him.

“All right, I'll just leave it here,” he called out. “There's ice cream, chocolate and vanilla, because I didn't know what you like. And some biscuits. Oh, and a package of crisps.” John grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck. “Okay. I'll be on my way then.”

He hesitated for another second before he turned around, slowly walking down the hallway. Rose let her gaze wander over his lean body dressed in a brown suit, lingered for a second at his really cute bum, and then made a decision in a split second.

Before her common sense could kick in, Rose turned the key in the lock and yanked open the door. 

John jumped and whirled around, staring at her out of wide eyes. But when his eyes met hers he broke out into a bright grin that Rose responded with equal enthusiasm.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hello,” John answered, sounding a little breathless.

Rose gestured at the pile of snacks at her feet and grinned. “Thanks for all this.”

Shrugging, John buried his hands in the pockets of his trousers. He made a small step forward. “Oh, it was a pleasure,” he finally said.

Rose smiled, nervously picking her nails before she took a deep breath to gather the courage for her next words. “Do you...” she started, trailing off.

“Yes?” John asked with an encouraging smile.

“Do you want to come in? Maybe?”

Dumbfounded, John opened his mouth to answer, but closed it again before a word could leave his lips. His eyebrows shot up in surprise and Rose rushed to explain.

“I mean, I could still do with some company for that Disney marathon.”

John blinked at her before letting out a laugh. His smile alone was enough to make Rose feel a little lighter.

“Oh, I'd love to,” he said.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well... I really didn't expect that I continue this story, but inspiration struck, so here we go!

John blinked his eyes open, disoriented at first. He let his gaze wander through the unfamiliar room, illuminated only by soft light streaming through the curtains covering the windows. His mind felt slow and heavy, as if he hadn't slept nearly as much as he should, so he needed a second for his memory to catch up. He let out a breath when he finally remembered where he was.

_Rose._

Sitting up, John glanced into the hallway towards Rose's bedroom. Everything was quiet. She was probably still sleeping. John stifled a yawn and reached for his phone on the coffee table, groaning when he saw the time. It was still before nine, and they hadn't gone to sleep until five. No wonder he was he still so exhausted.

With a sigh, John let himself fall back down, wincing when his neck protested against the narrow space. He was definitely too tall for Rose's couch. But Rose had offered that he could stay over, and he had readily accepted it, secretly glad that she had decided he wasn't a creep. He couldn't have blamed her if she thought otherwise. This whole thing was a bit weird.

He'd only wanted to help when he called her that night, offer a bit of emotional support while her friend was out of town. And he did have a bit of a guilty conscience that he hadn't replied to her texts earlier, letting her think she was in contact with a friend for so long – so the least he could do, he'd thought, was providing everything she needed for a sugar rush that made her forget her heartache for a while. 

It hadn't been part of his plan that she invited him in. But then she had smiled at him, bright and genuine although she'd been crying earlier, and he'd found that he couldn't resist. Not when she smiled at him like that, in a way that made his heart skip a beat. And certainly not when she was offering a Disney marathon, as if she knew all his secret weaknesses already.

It had still felt like he was intruding, when he'd first stepped into her flat. Rose had seemed uncomfortable as well, picking her nails and not meeting his eyes, but all the tension had melted away as soon as they were choosing a film to watch. Conversation with Rose was easy, flowing without any effort, and it had helped to make them both comfortable around each other. By the time they had settled down to start Lilo & Stitch, it had felt perfectly normal to be in a stranger's flat, sitting next to her on the couch to watch one film after the other. Halfway through the second film however, after sharing both containers of ice cream, they had abandoned the screen for the sake of conversation, talking about everything that came to their minds. At the end of the night, a smile was plastered on Rose's lips and John was secretly proud that he'd helped to put it there.

John smiled at the memory, burying deeper into the cushions as he tried to fall back asleep. Oh, Rose was beautiful when she laughed. But then, he'd already thought she was beautiful when she had opened the door for the first time, with red-rimmed eyes and a shocked expression on her face, as if she couldn't really believe she was opening the door for a stranger either.

John was nearly slipping back into sleep when a loud bang startled him awake all of the sudden. He shot up, trying to place the noise with his heart racing in his chest. And then it sounded again, two short bangs coming from the hallway – someone pounding a fist against the front door.

“Rose!” someone yelled on the other side of the door, the voice muffled through the wood. “Come on, let me in.” The man sounded annoyed and angry. John furrowed his brow as he slipped off the couch and approached the hallway. The doorbell rang a couple of times.

“You didn't reply to my text!” the man outside shouted. “I really need that CD back. It's for the band.”

Before John could leave the living room, the door to Rose's bedroom burst open. Fuming with rage, she rushed into the hallway and to the front door, yanking it open and scowling at whoever was on the other side. The man smiled at Rose, oblivious of her anger, and tried to take a step forward. Rose blocked his way, shoving him hard against the chest until he stumbled a few steps back.

“Fuck off, Jimmy,” she spat out. Jimmy stared at her in shock. John nearly wanted to laugh at the expression on his face, but then he realized who he was, and every last bit of amusement was replaced by fury. This was the guy who had hurt Rose. Without realizing it, John clenched his hands into fists as he watched the scene in front of him.

“Come on Rosie,” Jimmy started, but Rose cut him off before he could say another word.

“No, you have absolutely no right to show up like this,” Rose said, her voice shaking. “You're the one who cheated on me! On our bloody anniversary, after we've been together for a year! And now you show up as if nothing has happened?!”

“Look,” Jimmy said, holding up his hands in defence. “I know I made a mistake-”

“Don't act like you regret it!” Rose yelled, interrupting him. “I've seen you with her. Does she know about me? Does she know you were cheating?”

The following silence said everything they needed to know. Rose huffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“You're a bloody bastard and I never want to see you again in my life. Shove off or I'll call the police.”

And with that, she slammed the door in front of his face. Rose let out a breath, her shoulders shaking as she turned around and leaned her back against the door. John gulped and properly stepped into the hallway, trying not to startle her. He wasn't sure if Rose had really noticed him while she was yelling at Jimmy.

“Are you all right?” he asked quietly and Rose looked up. She met his eyes for a long moment and nodded. When she tried to speak, she burst into giggles instead. John watched her in confusion.

“That felt good,” Rose admitted between giggles, wrapping her arms around her stomach, and John laughed. He felt a strange burst of pride that Rose had told Jimmy off like this, all confident and determined, coming at him like a force of nature.

“That was impressive,” he said with a grin. “Very scary. Well done.”

Rose calmed down, giving him one last weak smile, and settled down on the couch in the living room with a sigh. John sat down beside her, leaning his elbows on his legs as he watched how Rose nervously bit her lip, searching for the right words to say.

“I meant it when I said I wasn't in love with him,” she finally said, running a hand over her face. “I know I'm better off without him. It's just the betrayal that hurts so much. It annoys me that he can affect me like this.”

“It's all right,” John answered with sympathy. “Perfectly normal that you need some time to process this.”

“Yeah, I know. But I think I'm done crying over him.” Rose wiped her cheeks before looking up at him, giving him a smile. John beamed at her.

“That's great. Brilliant! You're gonna be fantastic without him.”

Rose laughed, shifting closer towards him. “Thank you,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

John stiffened for a second. Oh, touching was new. They hadn't had any form of physical contact so far. John had tried his best to be a perfect gentleman during the evening – keeping a respectable distance between them on the couch, not letting his eyes linger on the bare skin of her legs that her shorts weren't hiding. No matter how much he'd wanted to pull her into a hug to comfort her, he knew it wasn't his place. Rose was hurt and vulnerable, and he was only there because she'd texted the wrong number. He didn't want to take advantage of that.

But now, with her setting the pace in a way she was comfortable with, he gladly went along with it. Carefully watching her reaction for any trace of unease, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Instead of looking uncomfortable, Rose only smiled and curled closer into his side.

For a while they quietly enjoyed each other's proximity. Slowly, the lack of sleep was catching up on both of them. John yawned and Rose did as well, and he tried hard to ignore how adorable she looked when she sleepily rubbed her eyes. He knew he should move, break off the embrace that lasted way too long already, considering they were not much more than strangers. But Rose seemed perfectly comfortable, and John was as well. He didn't want to move. Instead, he tried to force himself to stay awake. His eyes were burning and he closed them, just for a second to give them a rest, and sleep claimed him before he could fight it.

When he woke again, John was lying flat on his back, a weight pressing against his shoulder. He blinked, confused for a moment before his gaze fell onto a mess of blonde hair beside him. Rose must've fallen asleep as well, and somehow they had moved into a lying position, Rose pressed close into his side. Her shoulders were raising and falling slowly along with her breathing. She seemed to be fast asleep and perfectly comfortable, despite the narrow space on the couch. 

John smiled at the thought. It astonished him that she trusted him already, enough to sleep peacefully in such a close proximity to him. It made his heart soar and he tried hard to fight the feelings bubbling up inside him. This wasn't a good time. Not when she'd just been through a break-up. But for the moment, he could still enjoy her closeness and give her the comfort she needed. When she didn't want to be alone while she slept, he was more than happy to stay at her side.


End file.
